Getting Home by the skin of your teeth......

1.
Posted byjessianne(Full Member 54 posts) 14y
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Ok, I always like hearing funny stories from people about how they managed to get home with no money.....mine goes like this....I had been in France for three months, and had finally decided to go home to my Mam. Got a long sweaty train from Lyon to Paris where I had booked a cheap-ass flight to get me to Dublin. The airport (BEAUVAIS) was about and hour and a half outside Paris and there's one bus that goes with every flight, if you miss that bus, you miss the flight. I had my bus ticket, I was at the bus pick-up point and I thought, 'You know, I haven't been home in three months and I really should get a bottle of wine or something for my Mam.'So wandered in the general direction of where I thought I would find a nice little Parisien store selling cheap wine and smelly cheese. I did find that place, but it seemed the retailer in question was aware of clientele like myself and demanded something like 300 francs (about €45) for two bottles of wine and some camembert. I gave him my very last centime, safe in the knowledge that I didnt' need any more money to get me home, I was sorted. Of course my sense of direction was a little off that day and I got hopelessly lost, ended up randomly asking Parisiens how to get to my bus-stop and was met with many a shoulder-shrug and a 'Je pas!' Time was running out and I was way late for the feeder bus to the airport.Finally the last person I asked for help answered me with, 'Sure you've an awful Irish Accent when you speak French!' This kindly Irish gentleman not only gave me 100 francs but showed me to my bus stop and gave me a few lessons in French pronunciation on the way. To this day I thank you, oh unknown man with detailed knowledge of Parisien Streets! I am always awed by random acts of kindness. Sorry if that was too long!Anyone else got a story?

2.
Posted bysmythy(Full Member 237 posts) 14y
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Like your story jessiane, quite funny actually, i guess it wasnt for you at the time! Nothing beats owl paddy irishman for a hand if your in troubs eh?

3.
Posted byleahrb(Full Member 209 posts) 14y
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Well... I had a travellers hall of shame moment and lost my check card less than a week before I was headed home (thank goodness it wasn't any earlier). Well okay I'll admit it it got stuck in a payphone I'm blushing as I type this but right after that an EXTREMELY nice Spanish boy made for me (with his money) the phone call I was trying to make and helped me figure out which bus to get on to get back to my hostal which was different than normal because it was about 3am. Then the last 5 days of my trip I was really tight on cash. I met a really nice older guy (as in older than me) who had traveled most of his life all over the place and knew what it was like to be dead broke. He ended up buying me dinner and a couple beers. He said people had done him well in the past when he was broke and that I could help someone out in the future. He also offered to lend me money if I needed it but I wasn't that bad off. I ended up going home with about 50 cents left.

4.
Posted byviper2uk(Budding Member 11 posts) 14y
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Wow that was a close call only 50 cents... well it happens and what a nice guy... hope i dont get a close call like that id be worried that I wouldn't make it.

Well best of luck on travels

George

5.
Posted bystevieh(Respected Member 615 posts) 14y
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A friend of mine went climbing in the Pyrennees and ran down to his last £20, before deciding he'd better head home.Somehow he hitched all the way from northern Spain, through France and up to Calais. Each time he got a lift, the truckers would buy him a meal when they stopped, although he said he always offered to pay.He spent his last £20 on a train ticket from London to Cardiff and home.(Can't remember how he got across the channel - either as a cheap foot passenger, or hidden in a cab!)